Am I the solitary voice of praise for the CSA?
I’m currently going through a pretty amicable divorce. We both realised that, really, the whole thing wasn’t working for us both and it was time to move on.
I’m the only earner so I, of course, wanted to pay for my children. I started paying way too much – about a third of my wages. When I realised that this was just unsustainable, I explained. This was the only real hiccup that our divorce has had!
So, I volunteered to go to the CSA and get a judgement. I’d checked out the website calculator and worked out what I thought would be the calculation. It actually came out a few pounds lower than expected. I was elated because the judgement had worked in my favour. Now I could go back to her and use this as a basis for the amount I had to pay.
Now, I can hear the parents on here with fulltime care saying that that’s the CSA not working. No. You’re wrong. I’m now able to make my payments without being massively stressed, she gets the money that’s due to her. (Correction: due to my children, not her.)
It also means that when I do have spare cash – when I’ve paid off the 10K of our debts I took on as part of the divorce, for instance – I’ll be able to start building my own life again without leaving her and my kids short.
I changed jobs and had a substantial pay cut a few months ago. The CSA have been exactly fair in recalculating the amount. Not quick, mind, but fair. And they’ll let me back date this reduction, so that my ex and I can reduce the payment fairly for both of us.
I guess it helps that my ex and I are being adult and amicable. It also helps, I suppose, that I’m paid a little more than the average Joe. We’ve both been happy with the results in the long run because it means that is one more thing we don’t have to argue about ourselves!
Am I really the only voice of praise? I can see that the CSA are a problem for parents without daily care (not just Dads!) that don’t want to pay. But as a parent who a) cares about my children and b) wants to take my responsibility seriously, I can see it as a positive. They choose the (fair) amount and I pay it. Simple really.
Ok. Feel free to flame away now.
34 thoughts on “Am I the solitary voice of praise for the CSA?”
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Most of the complaints on here are from nrp who don’t pay then moan about arrears! I agree with your post as my partner pays for his child and it is fair
Yeah! Wait until you have been involved with the CSA for a few years and they review your case. then you will find out what they are really like.
I have had 12 had what i can only call 12 years of crap from these incompetent oafs, and I have been compliant and paid what wa asked for me, only for them to dump £7,000 worth of debt onto me because THEY made mistakes!
The NRP’s who voice their opinion on here are usually the victims of CSA incompetence, who are being stitched up with arrears (as I was), because of CSA mistakes!
The CSA is a complete shambles and should be shut down, in favour of means testing and mediation!
Mediation,, hmm that would provide much for a child and means tested would open a can of worms as all sorts of problems! They have to leave you with a protective level anyway!
Well said John. Now in my 8th year of dealing with them leeches
Tom, I started out like that.
Soon your payments will be ‘recalculated’.
You will receive a phone call informing you your case has been ‘reviewed’ and you are now in arrears.
Just read the many past posts on this forum.
And by the way never ever judge PWCs as neglectful parents – despite what our Prime Minster says and The CSA think.
Glad things have worked out for you.
oh, the CSA are perfect… they are screwing me out of so much money, I have to either make myself unemployed, or leave the country, as i/we cannot afford to live… but I suppose you think this is fair!!
@ Janet ~ NRP’s with protected levels of income. How we should be grateful for the CSA allowing us to live just above the bread line!
Means testing would involve the PWC. My ex has had £115,000 from me in a divorce settlement and maintenance. She has had £40,000 from her late mother estate, (she and the children recieved the financial benefits from my inheritance from my late parents). £30,000 from her late uncle. She has joint income, and claims tax credits!
I am not evading my responsibility for providing for the children. I am saying that it is nothing to do with incompetent CSA staff and politicians!
I raised a son on my own. Well educated and has a top job. The two she is responsible for are deadbeats because she does not care about them…..just the money!
How can you jusify calling the two children dead beats its not right you doing that I understand your angry but have a bit of respect! I guess your situation is bad but not many pwc get the amount your ex is
But csa are only interested in those types of pwc, so understand his anger, I agree not the kids fault though but how would you like it if your ex had all that money and still wants more….its greed and makes the genuine cases bottom of the pile, if less women like that put in a claim it would free up space for the pwcs who need it.
You are obviously one of the lucky people who has a competent case officer working on your file. What puzzles me is, if everything is so rosy in your garden with your maintenance and your ex, why on earth are the CSA involved at all? You could both come to a private arrangement and cut the CSA out of the equation completely. It would free up that competent case worker to work on other cases.
If the split is so amicable then why go through the CSA in the first place????
If more parents stopped using the stupid service the better, it might just disappear one day,,,
So, it’s OK to brand me as a ‘deadbeatdad’, because I am involved in this shambolic system, but when the PWC’s only concern is money, and she doesn’t want the responsibility of raising the children with good educational, social and moral standards, and they end up as deadbeats, thats okay then!
I accepted my responsibilty for the child that I have raised, unequivocally, because irregardless of money and having to deal with the incompetent CSA and a bitter and twisted ex-wife , I had a moral obligation to do my best for that son. I also attempted to impart that ethos onto my other children, only to be continually hampered and thwarted by a woman, whos; ‘control freakery’, cost two childen a fathers guidance! Her only concern is herself! The children with her are just her ‘cash machine!
John I hear you, my partners children through the years didn’t really want their dad but told by their mother to get what you can out of him…and like you left them everything and paid his dues….the children concerned have been used left right and centre, it is sad. Unless you know someone’s actual circumstances and walked in their shoes then can you truly make a comment, in my partners case so much more has happened, too much to xplain but you would think we were living in a tale from Lewis carroll, it goes beyond not normal.
I am a pwc who would like to set the record straight my child is not used as a cash machine I work always have he is well looked after I do get csa off his dad who choose to walk away I couldn’t force him to have contact! Yes I get over 384 pounds a month I do not waste it on my lifestyle! My son is top priority always have been I would go without for him to have there were times in the past where I had to go without did I moan NO I had to get use to it most people on here blame us its not right! I think everyones situation is different and its true don’t judge other people by others standards
Joanne ~ Agree. There are enough personal and immotive situations going on when parents/partners split. The non resident children knew me, their father for 4 / 7 years before my ex had her fling and I booted her out. She kidnapped the two youngest, and the older one told his mother where to get off, stayed with me, and he hasn’t seen her since.
Irrespective of my personal circumstances, I tried to be a good father to all the children, by paying, maintenance and legal fees for a contact order, only for their feckless mother to continually break the contact order. The family court did nothing about her ‘control freakery’! It cost two children their contact with me and the CSA and their mother have cost the children their inheritance.
If people want to play adult games, fine! That’s upto them, and their are consequences!
If their mother wants to use children as weapons for phsycological and monetary reasons, then there are also consequences of those actions!
I was not put on this planet to be dictated to by a feckless mother, a useless and incompetent bunch of penny pinchers at the CSA, or corrupt politicians telling me that’s how it is, and evading the real issues!
I have all ready chased the census guy down the drive and called the police ! They treat you like scum and have the nerve to ask for your help! Well, the law is there for us all to use!
Corrupt officials creating and enforcing flawed statute laws, that breach human rights, whilst criminalising decent, honest people.
The CSA!
People under-paying, people over-paying, and people not paying at all with £3.7 billion uncollected! Three or four different CSA systems, where people pay maintenance at varying degrees. That is a breach of human rights legislation!
“What puzzles me is, if everything is so rosy in your garden with your maintenance and your ex, why on earth are the CSA involved at all?”
“If the split is so amicable then why go through the CSA in the first place????”
Those are good points. It’s rosy *because* I got the CSA involved. Initially when we split and I moved out I was – and she would admit this now – paying her way too much. We guestimated a value, and it was way too high. When I was struggling to live month to month and she had spare, I suggested I’d cut it down. As I said in my original post, that was the only problem we’ve had. That couple of months was a real strain on our attempts to remain amicable!
I *could* have simply stuck the values in the website, but the self-righteous anger she was suffering with at the time wouldn’t allow her to see this as acceptable. The CSA put her in her place. Once she had a letter from them – all official with a logo on it – then she backed down.
When I lost my job and got a lower paid one, she was much more accommodating and while I’ve informed the CSA legally, she accepts that what she is now entitled to get is lower.
I’m very low maintenance (no pun intended) as far as the CSA goes. I’ve unfortunately changed my job once, I pay every month on time (by standing order) and I let them know when circumstances change. They never never have to chase me. So I doubt I’m taking up much time from a case worker.
” I also attempted to impart that ethos onto my other children, only to be continually hampered and thwarted by a woman, whos; ‘control freakery’, cost two childen a fathers guidance! Her only concern is herself! The children with her are just her ‘cash machine!”
John, that’s really sad news. It’s stories like that which make me glad things have worked out how they have (so far I might add!) for my family. Chin up and do the best you can for the child in your care.
Janet I’m also a pwc and get nothing…my ex too expensive to chase, csa’s words, I was too a victim of dv so am not allowed any contact with my abuser, csa know this too yet tell me to try and find as much info….urmm no! I worked as a single mum, never claimed benefits and no longer bothered in chasing my ex for payment, csa case is now closed, and my children 9 and 7….it causes too much heartache and I have the joy of our children and get on with it. I’m now a nrpp to a man who has given his kids everything, it sickness me that he is hounded to the point he has had enough, he left his ex the marital home, you name it she had it…when does enough become enough?? We even had to prove that the daughter on the case left home and went onto work and the caring pwc still claiming child support for her, bow you tell me who uses who?? I could never do that to the children here, end of. Tom in your case I’m glad its working out ok, it sounds to me your a new case, its the old cases stuck in the system they are screwing up on.
My case has been going since 2005 don’t know whether I’m on the old system or not
You would be on the new system
Thank you joanne I guess I am lucky then as the csa have worked hard on my case although my only complaint is they don’t ever call back! I’m still waiting on the news if the dow order is going to be taken off haven’t received any payment since august I’m thinking he is trying to stall payment until new year
The great CSA.Why aren’t you singing their praises as the title suggests!
I see that there is a new blog on here about CSA made up arrrears. When they can’t track down those who don’t pay, they always go after the people all ready in the system, to screw them for more money!
CSA. A not fit for purpose shambles, and a disgrace!
Janet
The CSA will never remove a DEO the only way that comes off is if he changes job!
He can’t stall payment, boss has a month to get it in by, sounds to me his boss is going against the deo or your ex has quit his job. And csa will remove a deo if payments not being sent, too expensive to chase or a good reason too and if arrears paid off, but csa lax at that which causes anger when men have overpaid and none of the monies returned, try and find a reason to hold onto it…..he who complains the loudest and all that!
Janet, have the csa said if they have collected it? Hope they are not holding onto it to gain interest…
I complain about the CSA even though ido care for my daughter and i do want to pay for her. My complaint is the running of two seperate systems. I am on old rule case which means i have to pay 30% of my net income £100 a week. If i was on the current system it would be 15% of net income so £50. Can any one honestly tell me that this is fair. Even when paying £100 a week my ex still keeps coming and demanding more money off me. Now that doesnt work she has resorted to getting our daughter to come and ask me for it instead.
having recently consulted a top solicitors office and spoke with a family law specialist, I was informed that it is a breach of human rights to run three systems with people paying at varying levels.
They wanted me to finance a case, but I refused as I have been ripped off enough by legal thieves and the CSA!
I have opened a descussion on here about starting a class action against the csa
There other issues aside from the three tier system. If the matters were raised in the European court of human rights, they could deal with child access linked to payment.
They could deal with UK government incompetence, in that the UK are running a system were £3.7 billion is uncollected, people over-paying and people under-paying.
They could look at means testing both parents, as it is both parents responsibility to provide for the child/children, instead of continually ‘hounding’ the absent parent, even when they are paying what is asked of them!
I’m looking forward to the day that the UK government is ‘hauled over the coals’ for the shambolic way that they have adopted and enforced a system that criminalises decent, honest people who DO pay for their children. i.e. me!
However all the solicitors i spoke to said they wont touch the csa with a barge pole.
The csa did remove the dow order as he cleared the arrears and set up a direct debit on provision he don’t miss payment otherwise itl go back on
The CSA must be taking DOE’s off to save money because they don’t usually do that. Once a DEO is in place it cannot usually be removed as it is a sure way of the CSA guaranteeing receiving their money unike a direct debit which can be cancelled or (not enough funds in the account would prevent it from being taken out). I do have my suspicions that the CSA is going to be scaled down to some extent. I have always found it very strange that they all of a sudden allowed PWC on benefits to keep all of the benefits plus the CSA money. The CSA was set up originally to claw back some of the benefit money by making the absent fathers pay instead, obvoiusly as we all know it went horribly horribly wrong and many have suffered at its hands. What is the point of the CSA if it is not saving the government money because its not there for the benefit of children contrary to what some may think.
i think now it really is time to do away with the csa never has any organisation done so many errors. all they do is blame computers when its the people who give the computers the info that are at fault. the people that work there do not seem to know what there other hand is doing, they give out different info or lie which ever way you want to see it and have been caught out doing it from my sons experience in dealing with the csa. what i dont understand is the gorvenment know whats going on and are allowing it to continue, which makes me think who are the worst people. All i would like to finish with is if you work for the csa i hope you sleep at night ,and please remember there are some dads out there that dearly love ther children and have no problem paying for them.
In the original post at the top of this forum, the gentleman said that the CSA choose a (fair) amount which he simply pays. I’m sorry, but the system is not (fair) for all. It is a very basic system which simply takes a percentage of the NRP’s net income without considering existing debts, mortgage commitments, expenses, etc etc.
Unfortunately it will get even worse because it will soon be a percentage of ‘gross’ income used as a calculation. This means that money will be taken from the NRP from earnings they will not actually receive (i.e. CSA payments will be calculated BEFORE Income Tax and NI are deducted, meaning they are calculating a figure based on money the NRP will NEVER receive in their earnings). That is SO WRONG and certainly not ‘fair’.
Anyway….the CSA do not calculate based on what is (fair) or what amount is ‘actually’ required to bring up a child in a reasonable way. One NRP may have a low income so their child will receive very little (is that ‘fair’)? Another NRP may earn a considerable wage, meaning the percentage of their wage will generate a much larger and in some cases an ‘unnecessary’ amount of money for their child… (Is that ‘fair’)? It only costs so much to raise each child (who ever they are) and where an NRP is paying ‘well over the odds’ for their child, in many cases the ‘surplus’ money unfortunately does not even benefit the child at all…instead it remains in the PWC’s pocket. (Is that fair)?
NRP’s are also often left with very little money after CSA payments are deducted (because their own existing financial commitment such as mortgage, council tax, food, utility bills, loans etc have been totally disregarded), meaning they are unable to do many things for their child on a personal basis. The PWC gets to be viewed by the child as the loving, caring and generous parent who buys them nice things, takes them on holiday etc, whereas the NRP is seen as the less generous parent who doesn’t buy them nice things etc. Not because they don’t want to, but because they financially can’t due to the huge CSA payments. Unfortunately, many children do tend to perceive ‘love’ to be shown through material things and are only motivated by such things. In such cases the NRP is unable to fulfil that expectation due to the huge amount of their salary being taken and consequently being left with insufficient funds to be able to ‘treat’ their child with nice things too. Is that ‘fair’?! All in all…the system is not fair ALL ROUND.
Am I the solitary voice of praise for the CSA?
yup